How could Rick Perry's ultrarightism on Social Security possibly hurt him in the GOP's ultraright primaries? The Romney organization, via the Post's Marc Thiessen, provides the answer:
Romney’s campaign will argue that Perry is against the very idea of Social Security and Medicare, and that he will use Perry’s book to scare seniors in early-primary states with large retiree populations, such as Florida and South Carolina.
It seems to me that Perry has overplayed his (right) hand. Of course Mitt Romney could be wrong, but so far, he's not panicking. I would think the polling on this would be devastating to Perry. Even W. got burned on it.